Many electrical fixture mounting assemblies exist for mounting an electrical fixture from a support positioned on the upper surface of a ceiling drywall. Typically, a brace is mounted between parallel joists that support the ceiling drywall. A bracket is then positioned onto the brace. An electrical box is then attached to the lower side of the brace by the bracket and fasteners. The electrical box is now securely mounted to the brace so that it may support an electrical fixture. Once the ceiling drywall has been installed, an aperture is made in the ceiling drywall to allow electrical cables to be passed from the electrical box to the electrical fixture.
Surface mounted support assemblies are then used to connect the electrical fixture to the electrical box. A mounting bracket of the support assembly is generally mounted flush with a lower surface of the ceiling drywall. A cover is mounted over the mounting bracket to conceal the bracket from view to provide an aesthetic appearance and to receive the electrical fixture.
One problem with existing surface mounted support assemblies is that the support assemblies do not account for the electrical box being mountable at any position along the length of the brace between the two joists. Mounting brackets used with the support assemblies have a centrally located wire opening to pass electrical wires from the electrical box to the electrical fixture. If the electrical box is not centrally positioned between the two joists, then the aperture formed in the ceiling drywall is not aligned with the centrally located wire opening in the mounting bracket. The lack of alignment between the ceiling drywall aperture and the mounting bracket wire opening makes it extremely difficult or impedes passing the electrical wires from the electrical box to the electrical fixture since the mounting bracket is typically mounted flush with the ceiling drywall. A need exists for a mounting bracket for a surface mounted support assembly that easily allows for passing of electrical wires from the electrical box to the electrical fixture for any electrical box position on the brace assembly between the two joists.
Another problem with surface mounted support assemblies is the inability of mounting brackets to accommodate existing electrical box installations. As discussed above, some mounting brackets are incapable of being used with non-centrally installed electrical boxes. Other mounting brackets are incapable of being secured to existing ceiling supports. A need exists for a surface mounted support assembly that is capable of being secured to existing electrical boxes and receiving electrical fixtures.
Another problem is that not all ceiling boxes are rated for an electrical fixture desired to be installed. If a certain electrical fixture is desired to be installed and the existing ceiling box is not rated for that fixture, the existing ceiling box must be removed and an appropriately rated ceiling box must be installed prior to installing the desired electrical fixture. In some instances, a ceiling box is not pre-existing and an appropriately rated ceiling box must be installed prior to installing a desired electrical fixture. A need exists for a surface mounted support assembly that is capable of installing an electrical fixture notwithstanding the type of existing ceiling box or in the absence of a ceiling box.
Examples of existing surface mounted fixture supports are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,215,331 to Marsh; U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,233 to LaPalomento; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,583 to Russo.
A need exists for an improved surface mounted support assembly.